In the prior art, applicant is aware of various designs of rail brakes. In particular, applicant is aware of the following United States Patents:
U.S. Pat. No. 581,270 which issued Apr. 27, 1897, to Davis for a Rail Brake discloses the use of coil springs secured to lever bars so as to hold the lever bars, and the brake shoes mounted thereunder, away from the track rails.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,790,202 which issued to Down on Jan. 27, 1931, for a Magnetic Brake Device, discloses a magnetic brake shoe which is normally held suspended away from the rail and, upon energization, is attracted to the rail to act as a brake. A coil spring is disposed in a chamber and acts on a piston so as to normally maintain the brake shoe in a suspended position over the rail.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,878,925 which issued to Ignatoweicz in Apr. 22, 1975, for a Mounting Device for Magnetic Rail Brakes, discloses reducing the air pressure in conventional bellows so as to compress the bellows downwardly until stopped by a spring buffer at a low position wherein the brake magnet may be energized so as to be attracted towards the rail thereby causing a further compression of the spring buffer. Correction of the vertical setting of the magnetic brake unit is accomplished by pressurizing the bellows so as to raise the magnetic unit to a high position. The height of the magnetic unit above the rail may then be adjusted.